ORGANIZATIONAL AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

The performance of irrigation system significantly depends on the capacity of the organization that

inappropriate organizational structures. Organization structure is defined as the empowerment and delegation of responsibilities and the clarification of the line of command between positions inside of an organization and between organizations. The water management organizations are mainly governmental ones. Involvement of water users in decision-making is becoming crucial, particularly the rising water demand will soon exceed the available limited water resources. Therefore, there will be an essential need for institutional reform and involvement of water users in decision making and planning so as to manage the available water resources in an efficient and equitable way.

Participation and Establishment of Water User Associations

Water User Associations (WUA) is a private organization owned, controlled and operated by member users for their benefits in improving water delivery, water use and other organizational efforts related to water for increasing their production possibilities.

Within the context of institutional reform in irrigation water sector, establishing Water Users Associations allows farmers to perform activities which are more difficult, or impossible, for them to do individually. These associations perform functions which allow the farmers the capability of managing parts of the irrigation system more effectively by providing the following services:

- Administering the irrigation system under their authority;

- Providing a mechanism whereby the government interacts meaningfully with the farmers; and - Providing a means whereby the farmers can make decisions

concerning problems of irrigation.

In terms of administering the irrigation system, a WUA can mobilize local resources to reduce the costs of managing the system for the government. A WUA can provide the procedures and mechanisms whereby the canals and other tertiary channels are cleaned, maintained, and operated on a schedule. In addition, such associations can act as arbiters to local conflicts in the area. Since there is a need for the government to interact with the farmers, the WUA can act as the conduit for such interaction. Through the association, various extension programs can operate. Such organization can also serve as a means to channel the needs and desires of farmers to those government agencies best equipped to meet them. They can provide such services by acting as a communication channel between the government and the farmers.

Integrated Water Management District

The smallest management unit of the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (MWRI) structure is the district; irrigation district and drainage district, where engineers are in direct contact with users. This level of management is the most important level to have innovations for improvement of performance of water allocation and management. MWRI is now implementing the integrated water management concept in a number of pilot districts. In order to cope with this concept, reorganization at the district level is carried out and the new organizations are called Integrated Water Management Districts (IWMD), which integrate all MWRI activities in each district. The objectives of such policy were viewed as follows:

- Devolution of operation and maintenance responsibilities and decision-making to the local MWRI entities at the district level.

- Integrate the different water resources within the district into the district water budget and allocation programs. These water resources would include canal water, drainage water, groundwater, rainfall, etc.

- Involvement of water users and non-governmental organizations in water management decision-making at the district level.

Hence, it is expected that the IWMD will have an important role in water allocation and water saving. The IWMD will be responsible for scheduling, through consultation with water users (represented by water users associations) the pre-set quota of water for the district.

Irrigation Advisory Service (IAS)

Irrigation Advisory Service (IAS) activities started in 1989. In 1999, a ministerial decree was issued to establish a Central Directorate for Irrigation Advisory Service (CDIAS) with two

general directorates in Upper and Lower Egypt. According to this decree, the following objectives are mandated:

- Help water users associations improve water distribution - Improve water use practices

- Help farmers in building strong and sustainable water users associations either on private Mesqas or branch canal

IAS proved to be essential for the Ministry efforts to establish water users organizations at the Mesqa or branch canal levels.

Modification of Laws

The Egyptians, since a long time ago have set legislations and laws to regulate the Nile water and control water use. These laws changed from time to time according to the hydrology conditions of the river and the political and institutional development experienced by the country. Legislations generally deal with several main issues such as: flood protection, flow regulation and water distribution; protection of water resources from waste and pollution and protection of the river banks, canals and drains; and management of the water system in general. These issues are governed by three major laws; law 48 of 1983, law 12 of 1984, and law 4 of 1994. Law 48 of 1982 governs the discharge of wastes into the Nile and its waterways and sets standards for the quality of these discharge effluents. The law outlines the responsibilities of MWRI and the other concerned ministries. Although the law is comprehensive, some of the details need careful review particularly those dealing with the required standards of effluents. Law 4 of 1994, concerning environmental protection in general, gives the Ministry of Environment increased powers and duties. Efforts have been conducted to coordinate the implementation of law 48 and law 4 to achieve efficient management of water quality and protection of irrigation water.

Law 12/1984 and its supplementary Law 213/1994 define the use and management of public and private irrigation/drainage system structures; including main canals, feeders, and drains. They also provide legal frame for the use and maintenance of public and private canals, and specify arrangements for cost recovery in irrigation and drainage works. Law 12 regulates the use of groundwater and agricultural drainage water and legislates other factors such as protection against flooding, navigation and coastal protection. Penalties for violation of the Laws and by-Laws are also specified. Modification of these laws to enhance water users participation in the operation and maintenance of the irrigation system is being in process of finalization.

Institutional Reform

Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation is currently formulating a comprehensive program for restructuring the ministry’s functions at different levels in order to strengthen the decentralization and participation process. The main goal of this restructuring is to move towards the integrated water resources management (IWRM) that is recently acknowledged as the best tool of improving water use efficiency and irrigation performance. Therefore, an institutional reform unit (IRU) has been established. The basic strategies of this unit are:

- Involvement of private sector in irrigation activities

- Support decentralization and participation process of decision making

- Conduct awareness program for dissemination of IRU concepts within ministry’s sectors and entities.

- Ensure capacity building and information availability.

Conducting Public Awareness Campaigns

During the last years, The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation took a bold step in introducing a new approach to its programs. The Water Communication Unit (WCU) was established in July 1995, and is responsible for designing and implementing a participatory communication program to support the Ministry’s goals of increasing the understanding of the

future; and there is a need to change water users behaviors to conserve water and prevent its pollution. The WCU enables the Ministry to more effectively communicate with people and at the same time to better listen to public. The Ministry communication strategy mainly consists of three phases:

- Building the general awareness of the Egyptian public that there is a limited water supply and it will become more limited in the future;

- Strengthening Ministry field staff to work with local groups to support the introduction of water conservation and pollution programs and practices;

- The implementation of campaigns using mass media and interpersonal channels of communication which focus on changing water users behaviors in terms of water conservation and pollution prevention. The communication campaigns are expected to continue for many years addressing continued awareness and behavioral change subjects.

Since the establishment of WCU, different awareness campaigns have been conducted and a lot of communication materials have been produced to increase the awareness of the water users to conserve water and use it efficiently.

Harmonization and Integration of Water Saving Options

Water saving options through the introduction of the organizational and regulatory framework and institutional vision / strategy and action plan, that would develop and enhance the following:

- Establishment of water users associations,

- Establishment of integrated water management districts, - Strengthen the role of Irrigation Advisory Service, - Modification of the old Laws

- Continuing the institutional reform, and - Conducting an awareness campaigns.

CONCLUSION

Different water saving options have been considered and integrated to present the optimal water savings and productivity on the farm level, the water distribution system level, and on the organizational and regulatory framework level. Integrating and harmonizing all the water saving options of the previous highlighted levels will result in an optimal water saving and management on the national level.

REFERENCES

APRP – Water Policy Reform Activity (1998). “National policy for drainage water reuse”, Report No. 8, Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Egypt.

APRP – Water Policy Reform Activity (1998). “Egypt’s Irrigation Improvement program”, Report No. 7, Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Egypt.

APRP – Water Policy Reform Activity (1998). “Assessment of Egypt’s rice policy and strategies for water management”, Report No. 6, Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Egypt.

APRP – RDI unit (1998). “Egypt’s sugarcane policy and strategy for water management”, Report No.

33, Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Egypt.

APRP – RDI unit (1999). “Water savings through improved irrigation in sugarcane cultivation”, Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Egypt.

APRP – Water Policy Activity (1999). “Water savings through utilization of short duration rice varieties”, Report No. 19, Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Egypt.

16^th international congress on irrigation and drainage, 1996, “Sustainability of irrigated agriculture”, Cairo, Egypt

MWRI (1997). “Activities and Achievements of the Irrigation Improvement Sector”, Cairo, Egypt.

MWRI (1997). “Achievements of IMS project in Egypt”. Cairo, Egypt.